Bubblegum Crisis Fan Fiction / Urusei Yatsura Fan Fiction / To Heart Fan Fiction / Sentimental Journey Fan Fiction / Tokimeki Memorial Fan Fiction ❯ Illusions - Fragments ❯ "Illusions" and the "Illusions" Series - READ ME ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

"Illusions" and the "Illusions" series
Series Introduction and Story List
by Fred Herriot
fherriot@yahoo.com
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SERIES' INTRODUCTION:

Believe it or not, I learned of BGC long before I met Mike Smith and started UY-TSY. I'd only had the chance to see the first three OVAs, but I've read a lot of BGC fanfics since, the best of which IMHO was Shawn's series. This series was meant to be one fan's salute to Shawn's work.

So you presently ask: WHY include something as soft-hearted as "Tokimeki Memorial" (much less other series as "Sentimental Graffiti," "To Heart" et al) into the BGC universe? Here's the answer:

a) I like the Tokimemo characters (I discovered the series almost right after I discovered "Sentimental Graffiti").

b) I just picked up a Tokimemo picture book the Saturday before launching this series (around April 1998), with various readings of Shawn's fanfics still quite fresh in my mind.

c) In reflecting on them, I said to myself, "Boy, you'd think they'd be the perfect models for some great Sexaroid 33-S boomers" (a little of my alt.sex.fetish.robots passion shining through ^_-).

d) My muse decides to visit me on the train trip back from Taegu to An'gang and I conceived a story where twelve Sexaroids modelled on the Tokimemo girls would appear in Megatokyo.

e) Then, to add spice to this mix, I'd bring in two of my VLL (VERY Long Lived) "Urusei Yatsura - The Senior Year" characters, Nokoko Moroboshi and Nicole McTavish, put them as matriarchs of their clans (Nagaiwakai and Victoria would've long stepped aside by now).

f) Let my imagination run wild, and...

g) ...you get this story.

This series adheres to the reality of the ORIGINAL "No Armour Against Fate" (NOT the "Neo" version of "NAAF!") with the addition of the Moroboshi and McTavish Clans plus the galactic situation from UY-TSY and its sequels as it evolved to the time of BGC. Please remember that events depicted in "BG Crash!" do not affect this series at all (though some of the characters and situations depicted there will appear in "Illusions").

It is recommended to read Shawn's NAAF series before going into this story. As for other stories, definitely read the UY-TSY story "Together The Outland" and the Sailor Moon story "Sailor Twins."

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OUTSIDE INSPIRATION:

The primary outside inspiration (beyond Japanese anime) for this series comes from Harry Turtledove's "The Guns of the South." For those who haven't read it (I really recommend it, not just for those Civil War buffs out there), it depicts perhaps the greatest potential reversal in history: the Confederate States of America winning the Civil War.

Reading this story, I was quick to draw many parallels between the treatment of African-American slaves in the South and the way people in the BGC universe would look on boomers and their place in society. Once the basic question asked in "Illusions" -- What does it really mean to be "human?" Are boomers just a different type of human being? If boomers are effectively human, how would that conclusion affect the society as depicted in BGC? -- comes into play, the parallels become a little scary.

Beyond "Guns of the South," I also have to tip my hat to the king of the techno-thrillers, Tom Clancy. His whole series of Jack Ryan books have been a treasure-trove of inspirational points for "Illusions."

Tacked onto that is the infamous "Rogue Warrior," Commander (ret'd) Richard Marcinko. What I garnished from the "Sharkman of the Delta" is most apparent with the MX series 33-M Cyber-Nurses like Sonia Fujita and Aya Fraser, though subtle points appear elsewhere.

And, above all, I should acknowledge the many fanfic writers out there, both BGC and otherwise. I won't mention names in this case; there are simply just too many to mention. I realize that my particular view on things may not be what would be considered "popular" among those of you out there, but it doesn't mean that certain aspects of your work hasn't influenced the outcome of this series, one way or another.

Finally, I should also mention Craig Widga, the man who does so much to produce a yearly review of all BGC (and Dirty Pair) fanfics currently available on the Net. For Craig, who no doubt has often turned himself inside out with all the rewrites I've done on this series, I can only give my thanks for pointing me to many interesting fanfics which had inspired many aspects of "Illusions" in all its incarnations...not to mention apologize for putting him through this in the first place! ^_-

Hopefully, my final rewrites of "Fragments" and "The Price of Love," done based very much on suggestions and comments Craig made on previous versions, will speak for themselves.

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A LITTLE RANTING AND RAVING:

I've rarely received any detailed criticisms (outside actual C&C when I specifically requested it) about certain aspects of this series and how others feel about it. It's been a bit disappointing because I can't begin to properly gauge what's going on in the heads of readers, what they might want to see happen in this series, without that type of feedback.

I do admit that the few times that I received such criticism, I often reacted badly to it -- Honest! I'm not the type who always bites people's heads off ^_^;; -- but I hope to overcome that reaction. Please, PLEASE feel free to write me if you feel there's something not right about certain aspects of this series. I don't want mindless flames, of course (no writer does, I believe), but things that really do strike readers as important should be noted and passed on. As I said above, I don't profess to be any sort of expert on BGC whatsoever, so I'm willing to take that.

Anyhow, the big comment...

WHY TORATOTAKA?

The one big point that comes up often (I find) is the fact that some readers can't understand why Genom tolerates the existence of a megacorp like Toratotaka, operating on Genom's very own home turf, possessing the power it does which, in many ways, is markedly superior to Genom's own power and abilities. Well, the answer to that is pretty complicated...

First, "Illusions" is a CROSSOVER. Just like the BGC crossovers with "Ranma 1/2" and "Highlander" that I've read, the "Illusions" universe is a mixture of the worlds of "Bubblegum Crisis" with other series. The primary "outside" aspects entering the BGC world in this series (beyond characters and situations imported from "Tokimemo," "Senchi," "To Heart," et al) are elements from "Urusei Yatsura" and the fanfic series I helped create from that, "UY - The Senior Year," "UY - The Ishinomaki Years" and two future series, "UY Twenty Years Later" and "Double Zeta UY" (BTW, Mike Smith came up with the title for "ZZUY;" he's a major "Gundam" fan ^_^). Because of that, the "rules" governing the BGC universe were altered or simply thrown aside to adapt to the "EVERYTHING goes" concepts governing the UY universe.

To help it make sense, I've adopted the concept that the "Illusions" universe is influenced by a xenophobic backlash against aliens in 2018-2020 (the projected time "ZZUY" is set in). The actions of I-Corp (the Infinity Corporation) and its governing religious order, the Church of the Movement for the Purification of Humanity, factored heavily into how that backlash came to affect so many. The details of that, which revolve around the "2020 Incident" mentioned in various parts of "Illusions," will be expanded on in (and will greatly influence) the last parts of this series.

Following the "everything goes" theme mentioned above, the world of "Illusions" is not just a world of high technology, but a world of aliens, of magic, of great spiritual forces and other arcane things. This is a world divided not just by nationalities, ethnic groups and economic forces. It is divided between those who remember a time when Earth was embracing the galaxy, and those who would gladly wish humanity would FORGET that time. This is also a world divided between "normal" humans and various "humanoid" groups who do their best to NOT appear on the six o'clock news: wizards/witches, metahumans, Immortals (of the "Highlander" variety), all the B-movie monster types, etcetera, etcetera.

In "Illusions," megacorp leaders like Quincy realize that, sooner or later, the various divisions separating humanity will melt away. In their own way, they're working to smooth the process along by bringing economic prosperity to as many places as possible. The "new humanity" Quincy envisions Genom creating (as quoted in the company motto, "Genome of a New Humanity") is a society free of racism, nationalism, xenophobia and the numerous other phobias and isms that've hurt so many throughout history.

An aside: the history I've fleshed out for Quincy (I once explained this in alt.fan.bgcrisis) coincides with what I've said above. Quincy Rosenkrantz is Dutch Jewish, the son of a Shoah survivor, who has always been motivated to ensure another Shoah will never occur. Unfortunately, his first attempt at bettering humanity (the research carried out in his first company, Rosenkrantz Biochem) made possible the Equatorial Bio-war of 2012-18, where five hundred million people were slaughtered by agents like Ebola-G (a byproduct of research done in Quincy's company). The tragedy of this event (which hit Quincy personally when he lost his lover, Dana Mathan, in 2013 to Ebola-G) has marked the Genom chairman ever since.

So why Toratotaka?

Quincy and his counterparts (people such as Eun-hyouk Park of Samguk, Wen-lai Zhang of Zhongguo-Hindra, Titian Monduzzi of Imperoma and Abrahim Sharon of Zion) realize there are powers in this world which may seem quite harmless at first glance, but could gravely harm what they're trying to create if the right situation occurs. Further, they realize that their conglomerates are managed by a wide swath of personalities, including anarchists like Largo, not to mention the power-hungry types like Brian Mason and Annan Kabbah. And that doesn't mention the possibility of a metahuman or evil wizard infiltrating their megacorp to carry out their own mischief, people who would destroy all in their path to get what they want. And all it takes, depending on circumstances, is one lucky shot.

What then?

To prevent such threats from wrecking the hard work they've put into creating Genom (who, IMHO, do much more good in the long term than evil), Quincy et al decided need an outside force, something to act as a guard dog against such threats. A force that would be as neutral as possible when it came to day-to-day affairs of the megacorps. A force that could be led by someone who has a vision of seeing humanity united, advancing to the stars. A person who's actually BEEN there, seen what lay beyond the asteroid belt.

Toratotaka and Nicole McTavish fit the bill perfectly.

Reading that, you would then probably ask this:

"Well, why doesn't Genom strive to understand all those aspects themselves instead of relying on a rival megacorp to handle it?"

Well, that factors into something that is, IMHO, often discounted in BGC and a lot of BGC fanfics when it comes to those working high up inside Genom: friendship. I personally do NOT believe that people like Quincy, Devon Okami and Kate Madigan are so inhuman, they can divorce themselves TOTALLY from those emotions which make a person's life better. No, it's just not possible. Yes, they have to guard themselves from others taking advantage of such feelings (not to mention target potential loved ones), but deny it totally? No, I just can't see that.

Someone in Quincy's position has to have a confidant, someone he can blow off steam with, seek some reassurance that what he's doing in the long term is the right thing. That someone, given what Quincy is, would have to be shielded in such a way that potential rivals such as Mason couldn't use that confidant to exploit the chairman's weaknesses. And the relationship would not evolve to the point where Quincy would lose his effectiveness as the world's most powerful economic leader. In the "Illusions" universe, he has two such confidants: Megumi Mikihara and Koji Tamura.

Expanding on that, Quincy also counts Nicole McTavish as a friend and business partner in many projects Genom advances which is financed through Toratotaka. That friendship is one that also demonstrates trust. Nicole trusts Quincy enough to know that no matter what happens, the final goal Genom strives for will always result in something better for humanity. And Quincy trusts Nicole (and those working under her) in return to ensure that those elements which could swamp Genom in return are detected and derailed before they could threaten so much. It's not a perfect system by far. And because everyone is human at the end, mistakes (sometimes BIG ones) are made by all sides. But in the most part, it's a system that works.

Now, here's another comment I've received about T'n'T:

"If Toratotaka exists in 'Illusions' and does all these things for the benefit of so many, what need is there of the Knight Sabres?"

If you read NAAF, you'll know the Sabres are put out of business when Quincy returns Katsuhito Stingray's work to Sylia's control. It has been mentioned in a question about the Sabres (found in the BGC FAQ) that Genom doesn't go all-out to eliminate them because they're not seen as a credible threat to the company. As I see it, that's true. What effect will the actions of five people have against a company with a workforce of a hundred million? For those who'd think of the David-vs-Goliath analogy, remember: encounters like that don't ALWAYS turn out as they did in the Bible!

Further, Sylia herself has stated (both in the OVAs and in fanfics) she doesn't wish to go all-out and destroy Genom. The Sabres' primary purpose (in Sylia's eyes) is to CONTROL the more outrageous actions of some groups in Genom. The Sabres are a MERCENARY team, not pure vigilantes in the Batman-inspired sense. Yes, I'm sure that Sylia deep down harbours dreams of taking personal revenge on Quincy for what happened to Katsuhito. I deal with that in "Illusions." But Sylia is also a realist, knowing that her quest shouldn't dominate the lives of those she cares for, especially the other Sabres. Shawn covers this nicely in NAAF.

To fully answer the above question, Toratotaka looks on the Sabres and groups like them a SYMBOLIC force fighting on behalf of those who can't fight for themselves. Symbols, in the eyes of many in T'n'T (and mine), carry as much power as weapons. In effect, the Sabres serve as a warning to elements within Genom: "You cannot do EVERYTHING you might want to the people of Megatokyo and hope to succeed, much less get away with it."

Further, Toratotaka (especially with Yoshio Saotome, a friend of the Stingrays, in such a senior position in the Nerima Tower) sees a potential use for the Sabres should things concerning Genom reach the same nadir I-Corp reached in 2019. That is covered as part of OPLAN (Operation Plan): Jericho, Toratotaka's final "doomsday" scenario vis-a-vis Genom. OPLAN Jericho will come to haunt the Sabres in more ways than you can believe in the last elements of the "Illusions" series.

'Nuff said.

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And now, here's something else...

WHEN'S A BOOMER NOT A BOOMER?
(or WHAT THE HAIRY HELL'S A CYBER-BIOROID?!)

Reading this series, starting from Part 1 of "Fragments," you'll immediately note the term "cyber-bioroid" (shortened from "cybernetically-enhanced bioroid") applied to Sexaroids (the 33-S's), male Sexaroids (the 34-S's) and Cyber-Nurses (the 33-Ms). Yet, at the same time, these three model types are thought of by many as boomers, no different than the 55-Cs and 33-Cs, not to mention specific entities like Largo and Adama.

So what is a "cyber-bioroid" anyway?

Well, I first picked up the term "bioroid" from Shasti, the rogue WWWA agent who appeared in the second Adam Warren/Toren Smith "Dirty Pair" comic series released by Studio Proteus. Since the comic didn't go too far into explaining what a bioroid was, I came up with my own definition. First, I split the word into its two component parts, "bio" and "droid." "Droid" is an accepted short-form term for "android." We know what that means, of course. But adding "bio" to it gave it a whole new meaning. To that end, I finally surmised that Shasti was a construct who was human right to the DNA level though she was created in a laboratory.

When I started looking at BGC and the Sexaroids in particular, I quickly noted the comment that 33-S's were so human, they'd even pass a general medical examination. Now, doctors are not stupid and a medical exam (taken from my experience in the military) would include things like blood tests, X-rays and so on. So, to me, that meant only one thing: the Sexaroids had to be, in the most part, physically constructed of organic human cellual matter, no different than a person born of a mother's womb.

That spelt "bioroid" to me, folks.

Of course, since boomers in BGC are often called "cyberdroids," it didn't take me long to realize there had to be some hidden biomechanical parts in the Sexaroids. Places like the brain, the spinal column and in the rib cage would be the best area to locate things like that. Thus, it didn't take me long to coin the term "cyber-bioroid" for Sexaroids, drawing a dividing line between the 33-S's and other boomer models, one Yoshio would take great advantage of early on. And since (in "Illusions" lore) Cyber-Nurses and male Sexaroids are modelled on the same general principle as Sexaroids, they, too, would be seen as cyber-bioroids.

As for the exact physical make-up of a 33-S, I remembered things like the "seventy percent boomeroid" rule from the second "AD Police" OVA, the BGC self-insert fanfic series "Hopelessly Lost" (with a nod to the movie "Blade Runner," also) and concepts Shawn came up with when he designed special gaming rules for the Sexaroids to be used in conjunction with the "Shadowrun" role-playing game system to come up with this concept:

The "standard" 33-S model (Sylvie's type) is, on average, 55 percent organic and 45 percent biomechanical. The biomechanical elements are fused seamlessly into the organic parts to constitute one whole, living being. The organs of a Sexaroid-type body possessing biomechanical parts include the brain, spinal cord, lungs, heart, digestive/urinary/reproductive organs plus elements of muscular and bone tissue. In most cases, the biomechanics in a 33-S's body are a special type designed to, as much as possible, mimic the functions of the organic parts in a real human's body.

There are two general exceptions, however:

1) The bone marrow cannot, without special modification, produce either RBCs (red blood cells) or clotting agents to allow a Sexaroid's organic parts to perform at peak capacity. This forces a 33-S constructed with this weakness to consume either blood or OFCs (oxygenated florocarbons) once a month to prevent a general breakdown in performance. Of course, if a 33-S is badly wounded (remember what happened to Anri), things become much more complicated. Biomechanical parts in a Sexaroid do not need this sort of support, so there is no real concern there.

(Of course, to ensure that a 33-S could live independent of such a need, Yoshio inserted the "regen gel" packs into a Sexaroid's heelbones to allow her to wean herself of the need to consume RBCs and clotting agents.)

2) The ovaries/testes in a 33-S/34-S do not produce eggs or sperm, thus a Sexaroid cannot bear her own offspring.

In "Illusions," a "special" Sexaroid-type cyber-bioroid is depicted. Those built to this "special" standard possess 80 percent organic parts and 20 percent biomechanical parts on average. In this case, the heart is fully organic, as is the bone marrow and muscle tissue. All types of Cyber-Nurses, plus the G-Class (the Guardsmen and Guard Police series) and K-Class (Kuromoroboshi) Sexaroids, are constructed to this standard.

Also, one must remember the Zion IDI-C202 and Imperoma GCS-171 and GCS-173 model "infiltration androids" which show up from time to time in the series. These beings are almost totally organic (save for the brain and elements of the nervous system, plus muscular elements), though they have a limited shape-shifting ability built into their DNA. That ability, however, is limited to what they can copy via direct physical contact with another; a GCS-171 cannot spontaneously create its own indiginous DNA form. It is possible, if someone might desire this, to "freeze" a GCS-171 in one form (look at Rumine Suzushina, for example). As a matter of fact, it is highly recommended to do something like this; a GCS-171 that often changes her form ends up with a VERY shortened lifespan!

When a C202, GCS-171 or GCS-173 achieves full self-control, they most often shy away from "infiltration android" and adopt "cyberoid" (another contraction of "cybernetically-enhanced bioroid") instead to mark their mental and emotional evolution into a fully-independent lifeform.

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CHARACTER NOTES:

When I first started on "Illusions," I had no idea about Lou, Nam and Meg (in this series, Louise Kaufman, Namiko Nishihara and Margaret Gibson). In the first version of this story, I borrowed the characters of Yuka, Emi and Kaho from the Pioneer LDC "NOeL" series of games (later adding China and Kotoe, who appeared in "NOeL 3") to "flesh" out (so to speak) the members of Sylvie's and Anri's team of escapee 33-S's from Genaros. Finally learning of Lou, Nam and Meg, I simply turned around and added them to the list, giving them family names and histories. In this series, there are TEN "Genaros survivors" forming most of FSAT-G.

The Kuromoroboshi introduced here are derived from characters in the Elf adult dating game series "Dookyuusei" and "Dookyuusei 2," which later appeared in a series of OVAs from KSS/Pink Pineapple. The first four "Dookyuusei" OVAs were translated by A.D. Vision as "End of Summer."

(Please note that in the case of the "NOeL," "Dookyuusei" and "Dookyuusei 2" characters, all I've taken are the names, general physical features and some personality traits. I have NOT transplanted the background situation of those series into "Illusions," hence the reason I don't add the names of these series to the general credits in the title splash).

The prototype 33-S's (and all related characters) hail from "Tokimeki Memorial" (from Konami), "Sentimental Graffiti" (from NEC Interchannel) and "To Heart" (from Leaf/Aquaplus). As best as I can (given that I'm shifting them into a BGC-type world), I've taken their personalities, histories and character traits, then transfused them all into the "Illusions" universe.

Here is a list of who is from where:

TOKIMEKI MEMORIAL
Yoshio Saotome
Yumi Saotome
Rei Ijuuin
Megumi Mikihara
Miharu Tatebayashi
Shiori Fujisaki
Naoto Takami (see NOTE)
Ayako Katagiri
Mio Kisaragi
Nozomi Kiyokawa
Yuina Himoo
Mira Kagami
Saki Nijino
Yukari Koshiki
Yuuko Asahina
Koji Tamura
Takumi Ozawa
Natsue Marikawa
Katsuma Serizawa
Jun Ebisutani
Megumi Juuichiya
Mie Kuribayashi
Suzune Misaki
Minori Akiho

NOTE: "Naoto Takami" is the name given to the player in "Tokimemo" as he appeared in the "Motto! Tokimeki Memorial" drama CD series. That name will be used for the character in the "Illusions" universe.

SENTIMENTAL GRAFFITI
Gioo Shigoozei (see NOTE)
Taeko Adachi
Kaho Morii
Yuu Nanase
Wakana Ayasaki
Chie Matsuoka
Shingo Matsuoka
Akira Endou
Miyuki Hosaka
Emiru Nagakura
Honoka Sawatari
Asuka Hoshino
Rurika Yamamoto
Manami Sugihara

NOTE: "Gioo Shigoozei" is the name I gave to the player character in "Senchi" as he would appear in the "Illusions" universe.

TO HEART
Akari Kamigishi
Hiroyuki Fujita
Shiho Nagaoka
Lemmy Miyauchi
Aoi Matsubara
Serika Kurusugawa
Ayaka Kurusugawa
Kotone Himekawa
Masashi Satou
Tomoko Hoshina
Yoshie Sakashita
Muriel Hinayama (Multi/HMX-12)
Sheila Hinayama (Serio/HMX-13)

In the reality of "Illusions," both Kate Madigan and Daley Wong are Kirameki High School alumni, having graduated in 2024.

The Child Companion 33-S's hail from several sources, chief of which are the Play Station game and recent anime TV series "Sister Princess: Onii-chan Daisuki (I Love You, Big Brother)" from Mediaworks and the NTT Windows "Little Lovers" and "Little Lovers - She So Game" games. In the case of the "SisPri" characters, for example, I bring a lot more of their basic personalities (as depicted in the game and anime) into "Illusions" (such as Chikage's mysticism and Rinrin's creation of Mecha-Rinrin), hence the inclusion of "SisPri" in the title credits.

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ROMANIZING HAN'GUG-OU (KOREAN):

I am probably the first anime fanfic writer (if I am wrong, please write and tell me) to ever use Korean phrases in my writing (goes with living in Korea for the most part of the last five years ^_^)! For my stories, I use a "modified" version of the M-R (McCune-Reischauer) transliteration system which, IMHO, is the closest approximation to the way the various han'geul characters are actually spoken in Han'gug-ou (Please, DON'T ask me about the abortion the Korean government just came up with concerning an "improved" transliteration system for han'geul!).

Since very few anime fanfic readers will be familiar with Korean, here's a list of the sounds common to Han'gug-ou:

BASIC CONSONANTS

k - a "soft" version of the first sound in "kite" (when between vowels in a word, becomes "g")
n - same as English "n"
t - a "soft" version of the first sound in "tire" (when between vowels in a word, becomes "d")
r - same as Japanese "r" (when following a vowel before another consonant in a word, becomes "l")
m - same as English "m"
p - a "soft" version of the first sound in "pike" (when between vowels in a word, becomes "b")
s - same as Japanese "s." When before "i," pronounced as "sh."
ng - similar to English "ng" sound, but less emphasis on "g"
ch - a "soft" version of the first sound in "chair" (when between vowels in a word, becomes "j")

DOUBLED CONSONANTS

Doubled consonants in Korean are pronounced like the "small 'tsu'" process in Japanese. A quick sound stop before speaking the sound.

kk - double "k" sound
tt - double "t" sound
pp - double "p" sound
ss - double "s" sound
jj - double "ch" sound (sometimes written "tch")

"HARD" CONSONANTS

These are spoken with a quick burst of breath with the sound.

ch' - forced "ch" sound
k' - forced "k" sound
t' - forced "t" sound
p' - forced "p" sound
h - same as English "h"

BASIC VOWELS

a - same as the first vowel in "father"
ae - same as the vowel in "man"
ou - same as the vowel in "lot"
e - same as the vowel in "get"
o - same as the first vowel in "oak"
u - same as the "oo" in "food"
eu - same as the "ou" in "could"
i - same as the vowel in "eat"

"Y" AND "W" DIPHTHONG VOWELS

In Korean, the "y" sound (the first sound in "yak") is considered part of a vowel sound. For "ya," "yae," "you," "ye," "yo" and "yu," you add the "y" to the basic vowel sound in question.

There is no "yeu" or "yi" sound in Korean. However, the "i" sound, when used in the common Korean family name (which is often Romanized as "Lee" or "Rhee") can sometimes be written "Yi" (i.e. Yi Soung-gye [AKA King T'aejo {reigned 1392-98}, the first monarch of the Chosoun dynasty]).

As for "w" diphthongs, these are "combination" vowel sounds, usually matching the "o" or "u" han'geul symbol with another vowel symbol:

wa - pronounced same as the first sounds in "want" ("o"+"a")
wae - pronounced similar as the first sounds in "weight" ("o"+"ae")
wo - pronounced as in the first part of "won ton" ("u"+"ou")
we - pronounced the same as the first sounds in "Welland" ("u"+"e")

These are also considered "w" diphthongs:

oe - pronounced in Seoul dialect the same as "e" ("o"+"i")
ui - pronounced the same as the first sounds in "winter" ("u"+"i")
eui - pronounced similar to a long "ee" sound ("eu"+"i")

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Some other writing rules...

USE OF APOSTROPHES AND DASHES

You'll notice I write the Korean name for the indigenous language on the peninsula with an apostrophe between the "n" and "g" (Han'gug-ou). I do this because there is a noticeable pronunciation difference between the basic "ng" sound as indicated above and separated "n" and "g" sounds put side by side. The same would apply for the common name used to indicate South Korea (Han'guk) and the alphabet (han'geul), not to mention my current base of operations as of April 2001 (An'gang).

I'll also use apostrophes when I have to split two vowel sounds put side-by-side that might end up confusing people as to how it should be actually pronounced, i.e. Saema'eul-ho (Saema'eul express train).

Now the dash. Dashes in Romanized Han'gug-ou indicate a necessary break between the important elements of a word phrase. What constitutes "important" varies from person to person, I admit; there is no real set rules to this end. Even I don't follow a set rule.

Let's look at the word phrase "Han'gug-ou" (Korean language). It's composed of two concepts: "Han'guk" (Korea) and "ou" (language). Now, when I put them together, I have to change the last "k" sound in "Han'guk" to "g" since a vowel follows it, hence "Han'gug-ou."

Now, there is "Kyoungbu." This is a term which is used to represent anything connecting Seoul (in Kyounggi Province) with Pusan, i.e. Kyoungbu-gosokdoro (Kyoungbu Expressway), Kyoungbu-gosokch'oulsoun (Kyoungbu Express Rail Line) and Kyoungbu-soun (Kyoungbu Rail Line). So you have "Kyounggi" and "Pusan" (remember what happens to the "p" when in the middle of a word between vowels or with a consonant sound preceding it). Some people might be tempted to write it "Kyoung-bu." I prefer to write it as one word.

In people's names, a dash is commonly used between the first and second syllables of the given name, i.e. Yi Soung-gye. Some people in Korea don't use a dash to divide their given name in Romanized script, i.e. Yi Sounggye. I prefer the former format since it's more common.

Confusing, eh?

Finally, like in Japan and China, Korean name format goes:

Family Name (soung) + Given Name (ireum)

In earlier versions of the "Illusions" series, I wrote Korean names in that particular format, i.e. Kim Soo-jin. In the finalized version, I will switch to the Westernized format of "Given Name" + "Family Name" to match the way I write Japanese personal names, i.e. Soo-jin Kim.

POPULAR VERSUS EXACT TRANSLITERATIONS

Since the Korean government has this weird tendency to switch transliteration systems at the proverbial drop of the hat (not to mention being forced to pay millions of won to get street signs changed), people tend to write their personal names according to a whole mix of styles.

Take the name of the current present of Korea. His name is normally written "Kim Dae-jung" in the English media. In han'geul, it's actually written "Kim Tae-jung." To that end, in the writer's notes starting each story, I'll indicate the pronunciation of Korean names in parenthesis.

For example:

Mi-sa Chil (Ch'il Mi-sa)
Soh-dong Lee (Yi So-dong)
Long-taek Hyung (Hyoung Rong-t'aek)

This will also apply to people who most often use an English common name in lieu of their baptized given names:

Charlene Woo (U Cho-i)
Cimbri Cho (Cho Eun-hyoun)
Yvonne Park (Pak Mi-gwang)

Now for cities, towns and the like...

The capital city of Korea is normally written in English as "Seoul." The name is pronounced "sou'ul" though to most people, it often sounds like "sol" (as in the Sun) unless you're listening very closely. I'll write it as most people accept it: "Seoul."

Other cities won't get the same treatment, however:

Inch'oun (Inchon or Incheon)
Taejoun (Taejon, Daejon or Daejeon)
Taegu (Daegu)
Pusan (Busan)
P'youngyang (Pyongyang or Pyeongyang)
Namp'o (Nampo)
P'ohang (Pohang)
Kyoungju (Kyongju, Kyungju or Gyeongju)
Kwangju (Gwangju)

Ditto for historical names from Korean history:

Koguryou (Koguryo or Goguryeo)
Paekje (Paekche or Baekje)
Shilla (Silla)
Koryou (Koryo or Goryeo)
Chosoun (Choson, Joseon or Choosen [the Japanese pronunciation])

**** **** ****

FINALLY...YE OL' STORY LIST:

The stories/parts of the "Illusions" series in chronological order:

Illusions - Fragments
Prologue - In The Beginning...
Part 1 - Fallen Messiah
Part 2 - Witness To History
Part 3 - The Black Meteor Shower
Part 4 - What Is Right?
Part 5 - The Chaos Principle
Part 6 - Forever Free
Part 7 - Pandemonium In The Fault!
Illusions (vignette) - The Price of Love *
Illusions (vignette) - Heart of the Dragon **
Illusions (vignette) - A Child's Valentine
Illusions (vignette) - A Child's Spring **
Illusions
Prologue - The Eight Left Behind
Part 1 - Cry Freedom!
Part 2 - New Frontiers
Part 3 - When Nine Become Eleven
Part 4 - First Steps in a New World
Part 4 Side Story - Kaho's First Love ***
Part 5 - Foray into the Dark
Part 5 Side Story - Song of the Wind ***
Part 6 - Visions
Part 7 - Surprise Visitors!
Part 7 Side Story - Saga of the Death Eaters ***
Part 8 - Gift From Left Field!
Part 9 - Start The Ball Rolling...
Part 10 - The Dark Side of Money
Part 11 - Dog Days of Summer
Part 12 - Weeding the Garden
Part 13 - From Darkness into Light
Part 14 - Tapestry
Part 15 - Transitions
Part 16 - New Beginnings
Part 17 - Dark Truths
Part 18 - Crossing the Line
Part 19 - A Sexaroid Cat and Mouse Game
Part 20 - Two Lives, One Destiny
Part 21 - Crystal Dreams
Part 22 - Horror of Ghosts Past
Part 23 - A Trip Down Memory Lane
Part 24 - Little Steps
Part 25 - Power Games
Part 26 - Vengeance is a Lonely Road
Part 27 - Family Problems
Part 27 Side Story - Hidden Passions ***
Illusions (vignette) - Angels of Mercy
Illusions (continued)
Part 28 - D-Day
Part 29 - The Blind Leading the Blind
Part 30 - No Fate But This
Part 31 - Free At Last!
Part 32 - Revelations
Illusions (vignette) - Hearts Made Whole - Michelle's Story
Illusions (vignette) - The Right Sort of Companion
Illusions (vignette) - Hearts Made Whole - Zoe's Story
Illusions (special vignette) - An Ocean Finally Crossed (lemon)
Illusions - The Price of Freedom
Part 1 - Surprise Discovery
Part 2 - The Glare of Passion
Part 3 - Kawaii Charge!
Part 4 - Violations
Part 5 - Truth and Consequences
Part 6 - Partings and Gatherings
Illusions - Healing and Salvation
Part 1 - A Time for Discovery
Part 2 - A Time for Partnerships
Part 3 - A Time for Unions
Part 4 - A Time for Alliances
Part 5 - A Time for Salvation
Part 6 - A Time for Battle
Part 7 - A Time for Healing
Illusions (vignette) - Hearts Made Whole - Arwen's Story
Illusions (vignette) - Dolls No More
Illusions (vignette) - Secretary's Day
Illusions (vignette) - A Day In The Life Of...
Illusions (vignette) - Mothers and Daughters: The Romanovas
Illusions - Remembrance Day
Part 1 - Traumatic Transitions
Part 2 - Hidden Foes, Open Friends
Part 3 - Dreams of the Legend Tree
Part 4 - Awakening
Part 5 - Surprise Gifts
Part 6 - Night Terrors
Part 7 - The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Part 8 - On This Day, We Stand Together...
Part 9 - The Trail to Freedom
Illusions (vignette) - The Dark Side of Kawaii
Illusions (vignette) - Mothers and Daughters: The Masons
Illusions (vignette) - The Ultimate Power
Illusions (vignette) - Hearts Made Whole - Nancy's Story
Illusions - Legacy of the Ripper
Part 1 - Angels of the Loop
Part 2 - The Enemy Within
Part 3 - Retribution
Part 4 - Wheels Upon Wheels...
Part 5 - Loop Games
Illusions - The Tribulations of Love
Part 1 - Love's Pain
Part 2 - Mischances
Part 3 - Lost Chimeras
Part 4 - The Darkness of One's Soul
Part 5 - Let the Innocent Fall
Part 6 - Gift From Beyond
Part 7 - Hidden Sagas
Part 8 - Blind Man's Bluff
Part 9 - Awakening
Part 10 - Now One Can See...
Illusions (vignette) - Spring Perfume
Illusions (vignette) - Mothers and Daughters: The Stingrays
Illusions (vignette) - Heart's Made Whole - Reika's Story **
Illusions (vignette) - Who Wants To Live Forever? ** (1)
Illusions - Transitions **

* - To be rewritten sometime in the future
** - Planned stories
*** - Planned add-on element to "Illusions," which will augment on certain points in various parts of the series.

(1) - Crossover with the "Highlander" television series (including some "Highlander" fanfic characters, also! ^_^)